On the merchant road from the Land of Fire leading towards the Land of Wind.
A merchant caravan, stretching for dozens of meters, moved slowly forward.
"Old Man Kahiko, I didn't expect to run into you again," Naruto remarked, looking at the old man beside him.
Sometimes, fate truly worked in mysterious ways.
It had only been a few months since they parted ways in Sunagakure, and now they had met again.
"Didn't you say you only travel to the Land of Wind once every few years?"
"Young man, you might not know, but the Land of Wind recently rebuilt a trade route," Kahiko said with a hearty laugh. "I rarely went to the Land of Wind before simply because the roads there were too difficult to travel."
"It's different now. The newly repaired trade route is much easier to traverse. It's not just us; many merchant caravans have readjusted their plans, changing their original destinations to the Land of Wind."
"In the Land of Wind, everything is a bestseller," a young man chimed in, approaching them.
"One trip to the Land of Wind is worth two trips to the Land of Earth."
Naruto nodded in understanding.
Merchants chase profit. There's a saying that perfectly explains this nature:
Just as nature abhors a vacuum, capital abhors no profit or too small a profit. As soon as there is adequate profit, capital is emboldened.
With ten percent profit, it is used everywhere; with twenty percent profit, it becomes lively; with fifty percent, it produces positive daring;
With one hundred percent profit, capital will trample on all human laws;
With three hundred percent profit, there is not a crime at which it will scruple, nor a risk it will not run, even to the chance of its owner being hanged. If turbulence and strife will bring a profit, it will freely encourage both.
The reason Old Man Kahiko's caravan rarely did business in the Land of Wind before, aside from the excessive risk, was another important factor: insufficient profit.
Goods did sell well, but how much cargo could one carry on those difficult sandy roads?
But now it was different. The same risk, yet several times the previous profit—which merchant caravan wouldn't be tempted?
"Old Man, what about the ferret that was always with you?" Naruto asked, not seeing the adorable little creature around.
"I had a Konoha ninja send it home," Kahiko said, stroking his beard, a reminiscent look on his face.
"Where have you been during this time, young man?" he asked.
"I've traveled through all Five Great Nations," Naruto said with a smile.
"So quickly?" Kahiko was astonished. "Young man, the customs and traditions of each country need to be experienced with heart."
"To chase the scenery yet overlook the scenery itself—that would be a loss that outweighs the gain."
"Understood." Naruto nodded slightly.
Kahiko glanced around, then with a secretive smile, asked in a low voice, "Young man, have you experienced the passion of the Land of Lightning's young women?"
Naruto's brow twitched. Well, well, I thought you were a gentleman, but it turns out you're a shameless old coot.
However, recalling the scene of being beaten up by the Raikage brothers when he went to the Land of Lightning…
He couldn't help but say, "I didn't feel any passion from the young women, but I certainly didn't miss out on the 'passion' of some burly men."
"It made me recuperate for a whole month."
Hmm?!
The way Kahiko looked at him instantly turned peculiar.
"I was beaten up," Naruto clarified.
"May I ask who beat you up? This old man fancies himself to have some connections in the Land of Lightning; perhaps I can help you get revenge," Kahiko asked.
Kahiko didn't look down on him for being beaten up. Who didn't have their rash, youthful moments?
He had been just as arrogant in his youth.
It was only as he grew older and experienced more that the impetuousness gradually faded.
"I won't trouble you, Old Man. I plan to settle the score myself after some time," Naruto said, shaking his head and declining the old man's kind offer.
The other party was the head of Kumogakure.
No matter how strong the Old Man's connections were, could they be stronger than the Fourth Raikage's?
Besides, he was the one who provoked Kumogakure first. To resort to such underhanded tactics now…
Ahem…
How embarrassing…
"Then you'd better be well prepared," Kahiko said.
This young man was someone Nerugui had specifically pointed out as needing attention. If he said he didn't need help, it might genuinely be because he didn't need it, not because he was being polite.
The blazing sun slowly set in the west.
In the evening, the caravan stopped for the night in a valley.
"Young man, you have to try my cooking tonight!" Kahiko said loudly, rolling up his sleeves.
As their conversations deepened, he felt more and more that this young man was to his liking.
Young, widely experienced, ambitious, principled, not bound by worldly conventions…
"Tonight's dinner is something to look forward to indeed," Naruto said, nodding with a smile.
Though he didn't know why the old man was being so kind to him, that genuine goodwill was exceptionally comforting.
Rumble!
Suddenly, a loud noise came from not far away.
Hearing this sound, the expressions of everyone in the caravan changed.
This canyon wasn't short. If a large-scale landslide truly occurred, they would have nowhere to run.
"It's nothing! Just a rockslide," Naruto reassured them.
Strangely, upon hearing his voice, the panicked hearts of the caravan members gradually calmed down.
"Learning fast," Kurama's voice appeared in his mind.
"You're a good teacher," Naruto said, half-flattering, half-joking.
"As long as you know it," Kurama huffed.
The technique just now was merely an extended application of Ninshu.
Ninshu could connect people through chakra. Naruto had simply used this characteristic to transmit his spirit to the members of the caravan.
"Young man, what happened?" Kahiko asked, approaching him.
He was someone who had seen his share of big scenes; he naturally understood what the technique the young man had just used represented.
"It's nothing, I'll go take a look," Naruto said reassuringly.
He had sensed a few familiar chakra signatures.
As his voice fell, Naruto vanished from the spot.
"Grandpa, where's the young man? Wasn't he just in front of you?" Kahiko's granddaughter ran to his side. Seeing her grandfather was alright, she breathed a sigh of relief, then asked.
"He'll be back shortly," Kahiko said, coming back to his senses.
"Ptooey! Ptooey!" Sakura spat out the dirt from her mouth and turned to look at her companions.
"Shikamaru, Neji, are you guys alright?"
"Thanks to Neji, we're fine," Shikamaru said, wiping his forehead, his heart still pounding as he recalled the scene just moments ago.
"You're looking a bit rough, Shikamaru."
A familiar voice sounded from behind him. Shikamaru looked back with a pleasantly surprised expression.
"Naruto, what are you doing here?"
When did he appear? Neji wondered inwardly, startled. Although he hadn't activated his Byakugan just now, it didn't mean he had let down his guard regarding his surroundings.
"Looking for a snake. Someone said they saw him around here," Naruto said casually. "Eaten yet?"
"Do I look like someone who's eaten?" Shikamaru retorted, gesturing to his disheveled appearance.
"Come on, I'll take you to get something good to eat." Naruto slung an arm around his shoulder.
"Wait…"
Squeak!
A soft sound.
Naruto turned his head. A ferret leaped out from a pile of rubble and jumped onto him.
"Nerugui, what are you doing here?"